10 Best Alternating Deltoid Raise Alternatives for Limited Equipment

If you need an alternative to the Alternating Deltoid Raise, choose movements that reproduce lateral shoulder abduction and external rotation. Good options include cable lateral raises, band lateral raises, single-arm overhead presses, bent-over reverse flyes and upright rows. Cue: keep a 15° elbow bend and lead with the elbow to target the middle deltoid.

Original Exercise: Alternating Deltoid Raise

Alternating Deltoid Raise
Primary Muscle
Shoulders
Equipment
Dumbbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Isolation
How to Perform Alternating Deltoid Raise
  1. In a standing position, hold a pair of dumbbells at your side.
  2. Keeping your elbows slightly bent, raise the weights directly in front of you to shoulder height, avoiding any swinging or cheating.
  3. Return the weights to your side.
  4. On the next repetition, raise the weights laterally, raising them out to your side to about shoulder height.
  5. Return the weights to the starting position and continue alternating to the front and side.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Push
  • Movement type: Isolation

Ranked Alternating Deltoid Raise Alternatives

Best Match
Lateral Raise - With Bands

1. Lateral Raise - With Bands

77.4% Match
Shoulders Band Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. To begin, stand on an exercise band so that tension begins at arm's length. Grasp the handles using a pronated (palms facing your thighs) grip that is slightly less than shoulder width. The handles should be resting on the sides of your thighs. Your arms should be extended with a slight bend at the elbows and your back should be straight. This will be your starting position.
  2. Use your side shoulders to lift the handles to the sides as you exhale. Continue to lift the handles until they are slightly above parallel. Tip: As you lift the handles, slightly tilt the hand as if you were pouring water and keep your arms extended. Also, keep your torso stationary and pause for a second at the top of the movement.
  3. Lower the handles back down slowly to the starting position. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
One-Arm Side Laterals

2. One-Arm Side Laterals

76.4% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Pick a dumbbell and place it in one of your hands. Your non lifting hand should be used to grab something steady such as an incline bench press. Lean towards your lifting arm and away from the hand that is gripping the incline bench as this will allow you to keep your balance.
  2. Stand with a straight torso and have the dumbbell by your side at arm's length with the palm of the hand facing you. This will be your starting position.
  3. While maintaining the torso stationary (no swinging), lift the dumbbell to your side with a slight bend on the elbow and your hand slightly tilted forward as if pouring water in a glass. Continue to go up until you arm is parallel to the floor. Exhale as you execute this movement and pause for a second at the top.
  4. Lower the dumbbell back down slowly to the starting position as you inhale.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Dumbbell One Arm Lateral Raise With Support

3. Dumbbell One Arm Lateral Raise With Support

74% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in one hand, with your palm facing your body.
  2. Place your other hand on a stable surface, such as a bench or wall, for support.
  3. Keep your back straight and engage your core.
  4. Raise the dumbbell out to the side, keeping your arm straight and your palm facing down.
  5. Continue lifting until your arm is parallel to the ground.
Single Dumbbell Raise

4. Single Dumbbell Raise

74% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. With a wide stance, hold a dumbell with both hands, grasping the head of the dumbbell instead of the handle. Your arms should be extended and hanging at the waist. This will be your starting position.
  2. Raise the weight until it is above shoulder level, keeping your arms extended. Your torso and hips should remain stationary throughout the movement.
  3. Return to the starting position and repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Dumbbell Scaption

5. Dumbbell Scaption

73.4% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. This corrective exercise strengthens the muscles that stabilize your shoulder blade. Hold a light weight in each hand, hanging at your sides. Your thumbs should pointing up.
  2. Begin the movement raising your arms out in front of you, about 30 degrees off center. Your arms should be fully extended as you perform the movement.
  3. Continue until your arms are parallel to the ground, and then return to the starting position.
Side Lateral Raise

6. Side Lateral Raise

73.2% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Pick a couple of dumbbells and stand with a straight torso and the dumbbells by your side at arms length with the palms of the hand facing you. This will be your starting position.
  2. While maintaining the torso in a stationary position (no swinging), lift the dumbbells to your side with a slight bend on the elbow and the hands slightly tilted forward as if pouring water in a glass. Continue to go up until you arms are parallel to the floor. Exhale as you execute this movement and pause for a second at the top.
  3. Lower the dumbbells back down slowly to the starting position as you inhale.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Dumbbell Standing Around World

7. Dumbbell Standing Around World

72.9% Match
Delts Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Extend your arms straight out to the sides at shoulder height, palms facing down.
  3. Keeping your arms straight, slowly rotate your arms in a circular motion, bringing the dumbbells in front of your body and then overhead.
  4. Continue the circular motion, bringing the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell One Arm Lateral Raise

8. Dumbbell One Arm Lateral Raise

72.7% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in one hand with your palm facing your body.
  2. Keep your back straight and your core engaged throughout the exercise.
  3. Raise the dumbbell to the side, keeping your arm straight and your palm facing down.
  4. Continue lifting until your arm is parallel to the ground.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
Side Laterals To Front Raise

9. Side Laterals To Front Raise

72.7% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. In a standing position, hold a pair of dumbbells at your side. This will be your starting position.
  2. Keeping your elbows slightly bent, raise the weights directly in front of you to shoulder height, avoiding any swinging or cheating.
  3. At the top of the exercise move the weights out in front of you, keeping your arms extended.
  4. Lower the weights with a controlled motion.
  5. On the next repetition, raise the weights in front of you to shoulder height before moving the weights laterally to your sides.
Landmine Lateral Raise

10. Landmine Lateral Raise

71.6% Match
Delts Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
  2. Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, resting it on the front of your shoulders.
  3. Keeping your core engaged and back straight, lift the barbell up and away from your body, raising it to shoulder height.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Why You Might Need a Alternating Deltoid Raise Alternative

You might substitute the Alternating Deltoid Raise for pain management, lack of dumbbells, plateaus, or to prioritize compound strength. The lateral raise isolates glenohumeral abduction and stresses the middle deltoid; if you have subacromial irritation, choose a scapular-plane movement or lower load. Also swap in compounds like the single-arm overhead press to recruit deltoids plus triceps and core when you need more systemic loading. Technique cue: control the eccentric phase and avoid shrugging, keep the scapula depressed to reduce trapezius dominance and preserve deltoid isolation.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Pick a substitute based on which deltoid head you want to emphasize, available equipment, and pain or mobility limits. For middle deltoid focus choose a cable or band lateral raise with a slight torso lean; for posterior delts choose bent-over reverse flyes with external rotation. If you need progressive overload use machines or cables to add small weight increases; if mobility is limited favor the scapular plane and shorter range of motion. Technique cue: prioritize exercises that allow external rotation and scapular control so the deltoid, not the traps, creates the primary torque.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Alternating Deltoid Raise work?

The Alternating Deltoid Raise primarily targets the middle (lateral) deltoid via glenohumeral abduction. It also recruits the anterior and posterior deltoid fibers to a lesser degree, plus stabilizers like the supraspinatus and the scapular stabilizers. Cue: lead with the elbow and keep the scapula stable to maximize middle deltoid activation.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Alternating Deltoid Raise?

Bodyweight options are limited for pure lateral work, but the pike push-up and handstand variations reproduce an overhead press pattern and build shoulder load tolerance. Combine pike push-ups with scapular wall slides to improve mid-deltoid recruitment. Cue: keep hips high, descend under control, and maintain scapular depression to shift load into the deltoids.

Can I build muscle without doing Alternating Deltoid Raise?

Yes. You can build shoulder muscle with compound presses (overhead press, push press) and targeted alternatives (cable lateral raises, upright rows, bent-over reverse flyes) using progressive overload and proper volume. Cue: choose exercises that create a lateral abduction moment or allow progressive loading, and prioritize controlled eccentrics to increase time under tension.

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